Increlex

Generic name: Mecasermin
Drug class: Insulin-like growth factors

Usage of Increlex

Increlex is a man-made form of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a substance that is normally produced in the body. IGF-1 is important for the growth of bones and muscles.

Increlex is used to treat growth failure in children whose bodies do not make enough IGF-1.

Increlex is not for use in children who have growth hormone deficiency, malnutrition, underactive thyroid, or those who are taking long-term steroid medications.

Increlex side effects

Get emergency medical help if your child has signs of an allergic reaction to Increlex: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your child's face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if your child has:

pain in the hip or knee, walking with a limp;

low blood sugar - headache, hunger, weakness, sweating, confusion, irritability, dizziness, fast heart rate, or feeling jittery;

swollen tonsils - snoring, breathing problems during sleep, pain or fullness in the ear, hearing problems; or

increased pressure inside the skull - headache with vision problems, nausea, pain behind the eyes.

Common Increlex side effects may include:

low blood sugar;

swollen tonsils; or

an allergic reaction.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Increlex

Your child should not use Increlex if he or she is allergic to mecasermin, or if:

the child has cancer; or

the child has finished growing and his or her bone growth plates are closed.

To make sure Increlex is safe for your, tell the doctor if your child has:

diabetes;

kidney disease;

liver disease; or

a curved spine (scoliosis).

It is not known whether Increlex will harm an unborn baby if used during pregnancy.

It is not known whether mecasermin passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby.

Increlex is not approved for use by anyone younger than 2 years old.

Relate drugs

How to use Increlex

Usual Pediatric Dose for Primary IGF-1 Deficiency:

Initial dose: 0.4 to 0.8 mg/kg suBCutaneously 2 times a day for at least 7 days Maximum dose: 0.12 mg/kg subcutaneously 2 times a day Comments: -Not a substitute to growth hormone (GH) for approved GH indications. Uses: Treatment of growth failure in children with severe primary IGF-1 deficiency or with growth hormone (GH) gene deletion who have developed Neutralizing antibodies to GH.

Warnings

Increlex should not be given to a child who has cancer, or a child who has finished growing (the bone growth plates are closed).

Increlex is not for use in children who have growth hormone deficiency, malnutrition, underactive thyroid, or those who are taking long-term steroid medications.

Before your child receives this medicine, tell the doctor if your child has diabetes, kidney disease, liver disease, a curved spine (scoliosis), or if the child has ever had an allergic reaction to a preservative called Benzyl Alcohol.

Increlex s injected under the skin. You and your child may be shown how to use injections at home. Make sure you fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.

Take care not to let your child's blood sugar get too low while using this medicine. Know the signs of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and how to recognize them

What other drugs will affect Increlex

Other drugs may interact with mecasermin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines your child uses now and any medicine the child starts or stops using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.